1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus for picking up (video-taping, shooting, photographing, filming) a plurality of images while moving an image pickup area to obtain plural pieces of image data (referred to as “partial image data) and then for synthesizing the partial image data to generate composite image data.
2. Description of the Related Art
A fingerprint authentication system, a bar-code reader or the like produces image data by obtaining an image of a fingerprint, a bar code or the like. The image data of a fingerprint, a bar code or the like is produced as composite image data made by synthesizing a plurality of partial image data obtained as a result of picking up a plurality of images while slowly or gradually moving an image pickup (photographing) area of an image pickup apparatus. The image processing apparatus for generating the composite image data synthesizes the partial image data every time the partial image data is taken (picked up) by the image pickup apparatus. In order to synthesize the partial image data every time the partial image data is obtained, the composition (synthesizing) of the partial image data just picked up should be finished prior to the completion of an image pickup process for the next partial image data that will be subsequently synthesized. Upon picking up the next partial image data for the subsequent composition, a composition process is carried out using that partial image data. When the last partial image data is obtained and the composition of this last partial image data is completed, a generation of the composite image data is completed (See Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (Kokai) Publication No. 2003-331269).